Rail-joint.



E. M'. JACKSON.

RAIL JOINT.

Llcmlora msn APR 8. 1915.

APP

LQWM v Patented July 6, i915.

Emmen/EO@ EDGAR Trl. JACKSON, 0F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR OF 0NE-H1LF TO LOUVERN A. RICHARDS, OF FRANKLIN, QE'ENNSYLVAIIIA.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that ll, EDGAR M. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residingl at Franklin, in the county of Venango and State ot'Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail#v Joints; and l do hereby declare the iollown ing 'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeancl use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in joints for rails, and it consists in providing a rigid, strong, durable and eli'icient rail joint which does not require the use of separate iish plates, bolts, nuts, or other fastening means usually found in joints of the character described.

The improved rail joint, as will be hereinafter described, consists primarily of two parts, the chair or seat member, and a sliding member adapted to provide a second fish plate and to complete the chair. ln ad dition to these l provide an automatic gravity-operated lock which automatically locks the tWo parts in position, but which may be very readily released when desired.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same reference symbols throughout the several views.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the complete joint, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a detail showing in perspective the seat member or chair, parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is a detail showing in perspective the sliding ish plate member;y

Fig. et is an end view oi" the device ot Fig. l, but on a smaller scale; Fig. 5 shows a section across the joint through the keyhole ot Figs. 1 and 3, but showing an end view of the gravity lock in elevation, the section being along the broken line 5-5 of Fig. l and looking in the direction oli the arrows; and Fig. 6 is a detail showing in perspective the gravity lock-detached from the device.

A. and A represent two abutting rails which have their abutting ends either cut across, as shown in the ordinary construe tion, or interlocking as shown at a and a. The heads of the rails may be of the usual rounded construction, or may be made with square shoulders as shown lullige. l, @e and Specification of Letters Patent.

5, and the flanges of the rails should pret erably be of the usual constructionas shown in the saine ligures. The chair B consists of the base portion l having a lat floor 2 adapted to support the bottom of the rail, with a groove 3 adapted to receive one of the flanges of the rail, and with a vertical rib i adapted to fit close against the side oi' the web of the rail and to engage under the shoulder of the head of the' rail. At one side or' the floor 2 there is a guide groove 5 for the bottom 6 of the sliding fish plate C, and at the end of this groove 5 there is an abutment 7 adapted to engage the cutaway` portion 8 of the sliding fish plate C. This fish plate is provided with a floor 2n adapted to engage' beneath the opposite flange of the rail from the floor 2, and also with `a groove 3 corresponding to the groove 3 of the chair B. It is with a yertical rib el rib 4 of the chair.

One corner of the sliding fish plate is recessed,as at 9, to receivethe gravity' lock D, and registering with lthis recess 9 is a longitudinal groove 10 in the chair, see Fig. 2, at the end of which longitudinal groove there is an abutment l1 adapted to ordi corresponding to the narily engage the endj12 of the gravity lock D. This gravity lock is provided with a tapered portion 13 terminating in the engaging end 12, and with a deepened front portion ,la which is rounded7 as at 15, as shown most clearly in Fig. 6. I

It' desired, the chair member B may have lateinily/:projecting flanges B" which serve to support the chair in the cross tie or roadbed, and also aflord convenient handles for transporting and laying same. These flanges also serve to give lateral stiffness and strength to the chair member.

Patented July t?, wild.. p Application filed April 8, 19135. Serial ltlo. 20,016.

also provided- Bti titi lin order to assemble the parts the chair member B is placed under one rail, and the adjacent rail is then brought into position, then the gravity lock is inserted in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, then the sliding i'ish plate C is slid into this. position shown in Figs. l, 4. and 5, pressing the gravity lock to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 until the tip 17 registers with the slot 9, when the nose 12 will rock down and engage the abutment 1l. The sliding lish plate is held against withdrawal in the opposite'direction by means' of the abutment i'.

When it is desired for any reason to relll move the sliding lish plate this can be readily accomplished by pushing down on a rod, wire, or nail inserted in the key-hole 1G which registers with the forward portion 1T of the lock D. By rocking this lock D about its rounded portion 15 the tail 1Q may be swung clear of the abutment ll, and the lock swung to the horizontal or disengag- 'mg position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the two parts B and C may be made of metal sufliciently strong and durable toc withstand any wear to which such joints are intended to be subjected, are not likely to get out of order, and may be readily assembled or dis-assembled. It will also be noted that the lock D is contained in a recess which is effectually screened from dirt, or other foreign matter, but should any water get in the same and freeze it can be readily thawed out by any suitable heating apparatus.

The parts are so simple that there -is nothing to get out of order, and the joint may be readily constructed so as to be used with rails of any standard or other desired shape.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,

i what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United`r States is 1. In a rail joint the combination with a chair member provided with a floor adapted to support the bottom of the rail, with a groove adapted to receive one flange of the rail, and with a vertical rib adapted to engage against thervveb of the rail and support the head thereof, and also provided With a'longitudinal groove at one side of said loor, with a recess for a, lock, of a. sliding fish plate having the 'bottom portion adapted to slide in said longitudinal groove of the chair member, and also provided with a groove to receive the opposite flange of the rail, and with a vertical rib adapted to engage against the webof the rail and to engage the head thereof, said sliding fish plate being provided with a recess to receive and partly inclose the lock, and a lock hav- .ing a rounded head portion and a tapered tail portion mounted in said recesses in the chair member and the sliding fish plate, and having its tail adapted to automatically engage a lug in the chair member, and its head adapted to engage a shoulder on the sliding lish plate member, whereby the two are locked against relative longitudinal motion, with means for pressing down said lock and tripping the tail thereof, and thus releasing the same from locking engagement when it is desired to disassemble the parts, substantially as described.

2. In a rail joint the combination with a chair member provided with a lloor adapted to support the bottom of the rail, with a groove adapted to receive one flange of the rail, and' also provided with a longitudinal groove at one side of said lloor, and with a recess for a lock with an abutment at the end of said recess, of a sliding ish plate having the bottom portion adapted to slide in said longitudinal groove of the chair member, and also provided with a groove to receive the opposite flange of the rail, said sliding lish plate being provided with a recess to receive and partly inclose the lock, and with a key-hole for operating the lock, said lock having a rounded head portion and a tapered tail portion mounted 1n said recesses in the chair member and the sliding sh plate, and having its tail adapted to automatically engage said abutment in the chair member, and its head adapted to engage a shoulder on the sliding lish plate member, whereby the two are locked against relative longitudinal motion, with means operable through said key-hole for pressing down said lock and tripping the tail thereof, and thus releasing the same from locking engagement when it is desired to dis-assemble the parts, substantially as described.

3. In a rail joint the combination with a chair member rovided with a floor adapted to support t e' bottom of the rail, with a groove adapted to receive one flange of the rail, and 'with Va vertical rib adapted to enagainst the web of the rail and sup port the head thereof, and also provided with a longitudinal groove at one side of said floor, and with laterally-projecting horizontal llanges at the level of said floor, of a sliding fish plate having the bottom portion adapted to slide in said longitudinal groove of the chair member, and also provided with a groove to receive the opposite iange of the rail, and with a vertical. rib adapted to engage against the web of the rail and to engage the head thereof, and means for holding the two in the locked relation, substantially as described.

4:. In a rail joint the combination with a chair member provided with a floor adapted to support the bottom of the rail, with a groove adapted to receive one flange of the rail, and with a vertical rib adapted to engage against the web of the rail and support the head thereof, and also provided with a longitudinal groove at one side of said floor, with a recess for a lock, of a. sliding lish plate having the bottom 1* rtion adapted to slide in said longitudinal groove of the chair member, and also provided with a groove to receive the opposite flange of the rail, and with a vertical rib adapted to cngage against the web of the rail and to engage the head thereof, and also provided www@ wifh llszsrslly-m'ojscting horizontal l'snges s the level o said oozr, said sliding fish piaf@ boing provided with a recess to rsosis'o amd partly inciose the oci, said look having a rounded head porion and a tapered tail portion mounted in said :recesses in the chair member and the sliding fish plate, and am/ving its tail adapted to suizomatically ongago a lug in the chair mens ber, and .its head adapted to engage as shoulder on ich@ sliding fish plate member,

whereby h@ two wo locked against relative longiudinai motion, with moans for pressing down smid 100i: and tripping the mii thereof, and shus releasing `he same from locking engagement when ifu isl desired. to dis-assemble the parts, substantisiiy as described.

in testimony whereof, aix my signa* iure.

a; EDGAR M. J'ASON. 

